Taxonomy
Osteichthyes, Gadiformes, Gadidae

Maximum size
150 cm TL, but specimens > 125 cm are rarely seen in the North Sea.

Description
One of the top predators. During their first six months, cod are pelagic and feed mainly on copepods. At a size of approximately 7 cm they adopt a demersal way of life. Food is initially dominated by crustaceans, but as they grow bigger fish become more and more important as prey. Males and females start to mature as 2- or 3-year olds, respectively, but not until an age of 6-years old all cod are mature. Spawning takes place from January to April, during which dense spawning aggregations may be formed.

Description of stocks
Widespread over the North Atlantic: in the west from North Carolina up to Labrador, around Greenland and Iceland, and from Svalbard and Novaya Zemlya down to the Bay of Biscay.

Legal MLS
The minimum landing size in the North Sea is 35 cm, and 30 cm in Skagerrak and Kattegat.

Interest to fisheries
Used to be one of the most important species in the area.

Status of stocks- see graph
Spawning stock biomass has declined since 1970 and is currently well below the lowest recommended level, due to high fishing mortality and poor recruitment of young fish to the stock. Most cod are caught before they are mature and the stock is harvested unsustainably.